Annelie always knew that she wanted to make a living through art. Privileged to grow up in Stellenbosch, she took art lessons from early childhood. She matriculated at Bloemhof Girl’s high with distinctions in her 2 art subjects. She then obtained a BA Fine Arts degree at US with a distinction in her main subject painting. After a gap year of travelling in Europe and studying their rich art culture, she came back to Stellenbosch to study book illustration. She got her Honours degree (Cum Laude) in Book illustration in 1996.

Since then Annelie has earned a living by illustrating books, being a fine artist and teaching art.

She’s been commissioned by Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, LAPA Publishers, Benedic Books, Eulitz, Human and Rousseau, JP van der Walt, Perscor, Kagiso, Heinemann, Marumo, MaskewMillerLongman, Macmillan, Resolution, Vivlia, Learners’ Unit, Shuter and Shooter, Van Schaick Publishers and National Education Department to do illustrations mostly for school and children’s books but also for poetry and other material.

In 2002 she was short listed for the Vivian Wilkes Award for best South African Illustrator of children’s books.